The Church can exist in a world ofsin,
but it cannot prosper when a world of sin is brought into the Church. A ship in
the water is fine, but water in the ship can be disastrous. The members of the
Corinthian Church were busy in promoting divisions over human leadership, and
boasting of their achievements. Yet in their very midst they tolerated sin of
the vilest order. Paul's blistering words of rebuke should be studied and heeded
by our 20th Century churches.

I. SIN IN THE
CHILD OF GOD

"It is reported commonly that
there is fornicationamong you
. . . " I Cor. 5:1.One of the Corinthian Christians was deeply
involved in sin with his stepmother. This type of fornication was so immoral
that there was no name for it among the Gentiles.Do not be deceived, any
Christian can sin. "Ifwe say that wehave no sin, we
deceive ourselves,and the truth is not in us. If we say that we
havenot sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is notin
us." I John 1:8,10. If we boast of our holiness and our freedom from
sin, we become an easy mark for the devil. "Wherefore let him
that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fail." I Cor. 10:12.

Here is why it is easy for
the Christian to sin. (1) He still has the flesh. If there was no devil, the
flesh would still crave sin. Read Romans 7. "Dearlybeloved . . .
abstain from fleshly lusts which waragainst the soul." I Peter
2:11. ". . . Have no confidence in the flesh." Phil. 3:3.The
flesh cannot be trusted. (2) He is still in the world with all of its
temptations. The world is no friend of God and no friend of the Christian. (3)
The devil is still running loose. He is not chained, but is the prince of the
power of the air and the god of this world. He is the tempter. According to the
scriptures, he has "wiles," "snares," and
"devices." He has great power and is not afraid to use any of his
weapons to lure a Christian into sin.

The Christian should
recognize his own sin, confess it, repent of it, and forsake it. "If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness." I John I.:9.If this is not done,
the Christian will soon feel the chastening of the Lord. Read Hebrews 12: 5-11

God has provided a way of
escape so that the Christian need not go into sin. "There hath no
temptation taken you but such as is common to man: butGod is faithful,
who will not suffer you to be temptedabove that ye are able; but will
with the temptationalso make a way to escape, that ye may
be able tobear it." I Cor. 10:13 Walk with God, avoid the very
appearance of evil, seek His face in prayer, read and obey His Word, and you
will find the key to victory over sin.

II. SIN IN THE
CHURCH OF GOD

"Unto the church of God
which is at Corinthit is
reported commonly that there is fornicationamong you . . . " I
Cor. 1:2-a, 5:1-a.Since a church is made up of individual members, sin
in the individual constitutes sin in the church. The "church ofGod
. . . at Corinth" was a local visible New Testament Church. The Bible
does not teach a universal invisible church, in fact there is no such thing
today. In I Cor. 12:12-31 the local church with its various members is compared
to a human body with its various parts. Every part of the human body has a use
and function. Even so, every member of a Church has a place of work and service
that is needful. Disease or infection in one part of the human body has an
adverse affect on the rest of the body. Even so, sin in one member of the Church
has an adverse effect upon every member. "Andwhether one member
suffer, all the members sufferwith it . . . Now ye are the body of
Christ, andmembers in particular." I Cor. 12:26-a, 27

One drop of contaminated
water will contaminate a whole reservoir of pure water, but one drop of pure
water will not purify a reservoir of contaminated water. One deadly cancer cell
can be disastrous to an entire body of healthy cells. "A little leaven
leaveneth the whole lump." I Cor. 5:6 The Church at Corinth had a
member who was openly involved in immorality. The Church had not mourned over
this, nor had they taken any action at all.

This is the great problem in
many churches today. Sin is tolerated. Sin is condoned. Sometimes sin is even
promoted in the Church. Preachers, deacons, and prominent members are commonly
reported to be guilty of fornication and adultery, and nothing is done about it.
The Bible standards forthe ministry and church officers are ignored in
many quarters today. No wonder the world has lost all respect for the Church. No
wonder God withdraws His blessing. Eventually Ichabod is written over the door
of another Church. "The glory Is departed." I Sam. 4:21 Then
that Church has to resort to worldly carnal methods to keep going.

God wants His Church to be
doctrinally pure, and morally pure. In Joshua 7, we see how the sin of Achan
brought defeat to the entire nation of Israel. When this sin was judged, then
God restored the blessing.

III. DISCIPLINE
IN THE CHURCH OF GOD

Does a Church have the
scriptural authority to deal with doctrinal error and immorality in the
congregation? THE ANSWER IS YES!! The Church not only has the authority to do
this, but it has the COMMAND of God to do so. Yet, we find many today who object
to any form of discipline being exercised in the Church. Failure to exercise
discipline against those guilty of doctrinal heresy has resulted in most of the
major denominations being taken over by the modernists. If a Church fails to
discipline those who are guilty of open immorality, they seal their own doom.
The Church loses its testimony and the Spirit of God is grieved.

SIN SHOULD BE
CONDEMNED FROM THE PULPIT

Sin in general and sins in
particular should be preached against from the pulpit regularly. If this is done
in the right manner, it will keep many Christians from going into sin. What a
pity that so many preachers are afraid to preach against sin.

PAUL'S INSTRUCTION
TO THE CHURCH

Paul's instruction to the
Corinthian Church is plain. Here is what he told the Church to do: "Inthe name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye aregathered together, and
my spirit, with the power ofour Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such a one
untoSatan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spiritmay
be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Therefore put away from among yourselves
that wickedperson." I Cor. 5:4, 5, 13-b.In other words,
the man was to be turned out of the Church. He could no longer be in fellowship
with the Church. This did not doom his soul, but it would purge or remove sin
from the Church body.

FIVE BIBLE REASONS
FOR DISCIPLINE

1. Immorality as is explained in I Cor.
5:1-13.

2. False doctrine cannot be tolerated by a
Church. See I Tim. 6:1-5; I Tim. 1: 19-20; and II Tim. 2:16-18. "From
such withdraw thyself." I Tim. 6:5-b

3. A disorderly walk. "Now we
command youbrethren, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, thatye
withdraw yourselves from every brother thatwalketh disorderly . . . For
we hear that there aresome which walk among you disorderly, workingnet
at all, but are busybodies . . . And if any manobey not our word by this
epistle, note that man,and have no company with him, that he may beashamed.
Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." II
Thess. 3:6, 11, 14, 15

5. Unrepentant attitude over sin. Matt.
18:15-20 " . . . if he neglect to hear the Church let him beunto
thee as an heathen man and a publican." Matt. 18:17

PROPER ATTITUDES
IN DISCIPLINE

Church discipline has fallen
into ill repute, because it has many times been practiced in an unscriptural
manner. Harshness, bitterness, and hatred should have no place in Church
discipline. If such business is conducted in a spirit of anger and emotion, it
will probably do more harm than good. Church members should be mourning, and
praying if others are guilty of sin.

1. Church discipline should be carried out
in a scriptural manner. Spirituality, humility, and meekness should be
manifested by those who are taking action. Read Gal. 6:1 and Matt. 18:15-20.

2. A firm and uncompromising stand is
essential. "Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound inthe
faith." Titus 11:13 "Them that sin rebuke beforeall,
that others also may fear." I Tim. 5:20

3. Love for the erring brother must be
manifested. "Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonishhim as a
brother." II Thess.3:15

4. There should be full forgiveness for
those who repent and confess. "... If he repent, forgive him." Luke
17:3

REASONS FOR CHURCH
DISCIPLINE

1. Church discipline is commanded in the
word of God. We should obey God.

2. It will remove the defilement of sin. "Purgeout therefore the old leaven." I Cor. 5:7-a Proper Church
discipline will maintain the purity and power of the Church, and thus retain the
blessing of God.

3. It will restrain others. "Them
that sin rebukebefore all, that others also may fear." I Tim.
5:20

4. It is always hoped that it will bring
about the repentance and restoration of the erring brother. It seems quite
certain that the immoral man of I Cor. 5, later repented and was restored to
fellowship in the Church. Read II Cor. 2:4-11

IV. DISCIPLINE
IN THE CHURCH OF GOD
AND THE LORD'S SUPPER

The Bible does not teach open
communion. Every one that loves Jesus is not invited to the Lord's table. The
Lord's Supper is a Church ordinance. The Church was organized before the
institution of the Lord's Supper. Unsaved nor unbaptized people are never
invited to the Lord's table. The order in Matt. 28:19 is: (1) Salvation (2)
Baptism (3) Observing of all things, this would of course include the Lord's
Supper. The order in Acts 2:41,42 is: (1) Salvation (2) Baptism (3) Fellowship
(4) Breaking of bread.

The command to the Church at Corinth was: "Keep
the ordinances, as I delivered them to you." I Cor. 11:2.The
Lord's Supper is the ordinance under discussion in ICor. 11.

CONDITIONS WHICH
PREVENT THE
OBSERVANCE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER

"When ye come together in the
church, I hear thatthere be
divisions among you . . . there must be alsoheresies among you.......
When ye come togethertherefore into one place, this is not to eat theLord's Supper." I Cor. 11:18, 19, 20.Notice the phrase in
verse 20, "...this is not to eat the Lord'sSupper." The
literal meaning of this phrase is: "Ye cannot eat the Lord's Supper.'' In
the midst of division, heresies, and disorder such as is described in I Cor.
11:17-34, it is impossible to eat the Lord's Supper until these disorders are
corrected in the Church.

A BROTHER LIVING
IN SIN, IS NOT TO BE
INVITED TO THE LORD'S SUPPER

"Now I have written unto you not
to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or
covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or adrunkard, or an extortioner; WITH SUCH AN ONENO NOT TO EAT." I
Cor. 5:11.This makes it quite plain that "any man that is called
a brother" cannot live in sin and be invited to the Lord's Supper. This
scripture deals with the present state of the man, not his past state. Many who
are now good and faithful Christians, once lived in the vilest of sins. "And
such were some of you: but ye are washed,but ye are sanctified,
but ye are, justified." I Cor. 6:11.

The only place that the
Lord's Supper can scripturally be observed, is in a local New Testament Baptist
Church. Only the members of that local Church should partake of it. :Every
person who partakes of the Lord's Supper should be a saved, baptized member of
that particular Church. The Church as a body has no way of knowing about the
qualifications of those who are not members of that local church. . . . "do
not ye judge them that arewithin?" I Cor. 5:12.

The Bible says, "Let
a man examine himself, andso let him eat of that bread, and drink of
that cup." I Cor. 11:28. If a man will do this, then all will be well.
But if he refuses to examine and judge himself, then the Church body has every
right to exclude him from the Church and from the Lord's Supper, until he
repents and confesses.

SUMMARY

1. Sin in the Child of God, should be
confessed and forsaken. This will save the Child of God from chastisement.

2. Sin in the Church of God, should be
recognized as a threat to the health and welfare of the entire local Church
body.

3. The Church has the authority to deal
with sin in its membership. Members who persist in living in sin should be
excluded from the membership of the Church, until such time that they confess
and repent of their sin.

4. Church members who are living in sin,
should not be allowed to partake of the Lord's Supper by the Church.

A proper attitude toward Church discipline
will not make Pharisees out of the Christians. It will not make spies and
snoopers out of the pastor and other Church officers. It will not cause an
outbreak of gossip-fever among the members. When a Christian gets pleasure or
satisfaction in talking about the sin of fellow Christians, it is proof positive
that their heart is not right with God. When we see a Christian in sin, we ought
to have a broken heart about it.

The testimony of independent, fundamental
Baptist Churches is rapidly being destroyed because of a failure to practice
Church discipline. In these last days of apostasy, may Churches be awakened to
the awful danger from within.